Scott River Chinook counts below average so far

Friday

Nov 1, 2013 at 10:13 AM

David Smithdsmith@siskiyoudaily.com

This year’s Chinook salmon counts are coming in above-average on the Shasta River, but the Scott River will likely come below average this year, according to California Department of Fish and Wildlife data through Oct. 20. Thus far, the Scott has had 1088 Chinook make their way to river mile 18, where the DFW’s video weir takes a visual count of the spawn-ready salmon. Last year’s weir total, according to the data, was 8144 by Nov. 29. The visual count is augmented by physical surveys for carcasses and spawning areas downstream from the weir, and that data will be added to this year’s data upon the run’s completion. While the numbers appear to starkly contrast with the Shasta run, Sari Sommarstrom of the Siskiyou County Resource Conservation District said Thursday that the Scott run typically starts later than the Shasta, and the Shasta’s weir is right at the mouth of the river. DFW data shows that the first Chinook on the Scott was counted on Sept. 30, while the Shasta saw its first on Sept. 19. Coho numbers on both rivers are still small, as the runs for the species typically ramp up later in the season, according to Sommarstrom.